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Summary

Description

Boucher & Higgins, circa 1891. 3-storey, 14-bay, rectangular-plan former Board School with fine classically treated interior. Squared and snecked, bull-faced red sandstone with polished ashlar dressings. Deep base course, ashlar cill course to 1st floor, cill courses to upper floors, eaves cornice. Piended roof.

W (MONTGOMERY STREET) ELEVATION: 7-bay with widely-set tripartite, bipartite and single light windows at 1st and 2nd floors. Off-centre single bay gabled entrance porch with pitched roof, simple moulded doorway inscribed 'INFANTS' in re-entrant angle. S ELEVATION: to left, 4-bay section with off-centre simple moulded and corniced entrance doorway inscribed 'GIRLS'. To right, recessed 2-bay section. E ELEVATION: 5-bay with bipartite windows. Corniced parapet curved and finialled to left only. N ELEVATION: to right, 4-bay section with simple moulded and corniced entrance doorway at 2nd bay inscribed 'BOYS'. To left, recessed single bay section.

DINING HALL AND JANITOR'S HOUSE: 2-storey, 3-bay Janitor's House with base course and eaves cornice. Adjoining to W single storey dining hall with timber bellcote including bell to W elevation.

Predominantly plate glass timber sash and case windows with horns now mostly boarded up (2010). Grey slates. Some decorative hoppers to cast iron downpipes.

INTERIOR: good quality, near-intact classical treatment to top-lit central hall rising full height of building flanked by stairs leading to upper floors. Keystoned oculi, dentiled cornicing and composite pilasters supporting round-arched decorative hoodmoulds at each floor. Original railings to upper floors now abutted by later higher railings. Decorative cast iron radiators. Some marble fire surrounds. Classrooms divided by large timber and sliding etched glass screens. High dado height timber panelling. Brass door stops, handles.

BOUNDARY WALLS: to S high squared and snecked bull-faced red sandstone section with flat coping. To E at W gable of dining hall short section of low wall with railings and gate separates former boys and girls playgrounds.

Statement of Special Interest

Externally the former Queen Mary Street Public School follows the Board School model of the late 19th century and contributes to the patina and history of the streetscape. The classically treated and largely intact interior is of particular note and lifts the interest, a fine example of the work of local architects James Boucher & Henry Higgins. The central hall features a wealth of decoration including keystoned oculi, dentiled cornicing and composite pilasters supporting round-arched decorative hoodmoulds, all adding to the architectural interest.

Historic photographs in the Mitchell Library show that the upper floor of the E elevation was originally without windows and inscribed 'Queen Mary Street Public School'. The oculi windows in the central hall (now with square glazing) originally had decorative ironwork infills. The Dining Hall does not appear in the Dean of Guild Plans in the Mitchell Library, however, it is likely that it was constructed around the same time as the main body of the school. Currently not in use (2010) the building is located in an area of the city which has undergone a particularly comprehensive programme of change over the last 50 years.

List description revised as part of the Glasgow East End listing review, 2010.

References

Bibliography

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